Radial-draft gear.



H. T. KHAKAU.

RADIAL DRAFTGEAR. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3l. 1914.

Patented July 3, `1917.

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RADIAL DRAFT GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED D Ec. s1. 1914.

Patented July 3,1917.

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@mmm/.woz n I num/Mi@ WW A7 2 aa/IW mio/mug lUNllTEU @ldlhlltflm HARRY T. KRAKAU, OF CLEVELAND, OHO, ASSIGNOR T0 THE NATONAL MALLEABLE CASTINGS COMPANY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

RADIAL-DRAFT GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

i .rar-mima July s, aait.

yTo all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARRY T. KRAKAU, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Radial-Draft Gears, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation .showing the application of my invention to a radial draft gear; Fig. 2 is a art elevation thereof; and Fig.' 3 is a plan tiereof.

My invention relates to radial draft gear and consists in mechanism for disengaging or rendering inoperativethe connection between the draft member and the centering or guiding means to permit coupling on a curve with an opposing coupler secured to a car in the usual manner, and for moving the draft member radially when so disconnected into position to intercouple with thecoupler upon the opposing car. My invention also relates to the construction and cooperation of the various parts which I shall hereinafter describe and claim.

Referring to the drawing 2 is a draft member pivoted at 3 in the usual manner to the car, and 4 indicates the guiding connecf tion carried by the truck.

The releasing Yconnection between the draft member 2 and the guiding member 4 consists of a clutch 5 pivoted to the draft member and bifurcated so as to engage opposite sides of the forward end of the guiding member 4 as is described and shown in Letters Patent No. 1,090,656, of Ernest H. Schmidt dated March 17, 1914. f

The release operating and the coupler swinging mechanism consists of a rod 6 secured at its outer end by a clevis 7 to a guide rod 8 attached to an end sill 9. The rod- 6 at its opposite end 10 is supported in an aperture in a lug 11 on the coupler head and the end 10 is bent to prevent its disengagement from the lug 11 and to provide a bearing against either the coupler-head or lug 11 for pushing or pulling the coupler laterally by the rod v6. The rod 6 has also a downward .extension 12 near its end 10 to which is secured the connection 13, which is shown in the form of a chain, with the clutch actuating lever 14.

When a car equipped with the mechanism just described is to be coupled on a curved track with a car having a gear with the 'usual limited side clearance, the rod 6 is first rotated by its handle 15, which causes the chain 13 to rotate the lever 14 and clutch 5, thereby disconnecting the clutch 5 from the guiding member 4. l/Vhen the rod 6 has been rotated to disconnecting position and the coupler is thereby made free to swing laterally, apush or pull on the rod 6, because of its engagement with the lug 11 or its bearing against the coupler head as the case may be, will readily move the coupler laterally to the desired position to rod 6 will return to its normal position, shown in Fig. 1, of its own weight, and when the draft member is subsequently returned by the movement of the car to central position the clutch 5 by its contact with the centering arm 4 will be rotated upwardly and will then fall into engagement with the arm and the centering mechanism will again become operative.

It is obvious that various modiications Aing a lever pivotally and slidably mounted upon the car and pivotally secured to said draft member and held against endwise movement relatively thereto, said lever being adapted to operate the intermediate member by a rotary movement and to shift said draft member by endwise bodily movement laterally of the car.

HARRY T. KRAKAU.

Witnesses:

HUBERT L. SPENOE, HARRY E. ORB.

`intercouple with the opposing coupler. The 

